Post.



C. C. CHERRY.

POST.

'APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1915.

1,156,207. Y Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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C. C. CHERRY.

POST.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1915.

1,156,207. Patented 00. 12, 1915.

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WHMaoom attain:

CHARLES C. CHERRY, OF HIDALGO, ILLINOIS.

POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed April 20, 1915. Serial No. 22,672.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. CHERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hidalgo, in the county of Jasper and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Posts, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to posts and more particularly to clothes lineposts.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a posthaving novel means for simultaneously elevating the lines and placingthem under proper tension to sustain the clothes carried thereby.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple and eflicientmeans for properly bracing the post so as to prevent sagging of thelines and to hold the lines under constant tension so as to preventclothes from dragging on the ground and becoming soiled.

Another object of the invention is thepro vision of a fence post havingmeans for supporting two widely separated lines and for simultaneouslyraising said lines and placing each line under tension independently ofthe other line.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the followingdescription is read in I connection with the accompanying drawing. whichforms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation. Fig. 9. is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig.4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view. Fig. 6is a perspective view of the locking dog. Fig. 7 is a perspective viewof one of the adjusting keys.

In the specific embodiment of the invention as illustrated herein, thepost generally indicated at 1 is preferably constructed of a galvanizedchannel iron, the parts of which are identified as follows, 2 indicatingthe body portion, and 3 and 4 the side flanges.

The post is cut vertically for a short distance from the bottom at eachcorner thus separating the body portion from the side flanges, as willbe readily understood. The body portion is bent rearwardly into ahorizontal foot 5 while the side flanges are bent inwardly, as shown,and overlap each other. Then the post is embedded in the ground the footand the inwardly bent portions of the side flanges will form retainingmembers which will prevent liftingof the post, asv will be readilyunderstood.

The side flanges3 and 1 are provided with a plurality of holes, throughtwo of which are passed thepivoti-ng bolts 6 and 7 the former havingpivoted thereon a diagonally extending brace 8 While the latter haspivoted thereon a platform 9 having raised lugs 10 which are engaged bythe free end of the these slots is a substantially crescent shaped shaft12 in the center of which is secured an operating lever 13 which passesthrough a vertical slot 14 formed in the body and which carries alocking dog 15, arranged to engage in the lateral notches 16 formed inthe side walls of the slot 14 and limited in its outward movement bymeans of the laterallv extending arms 17 the dog being freely slidableupon the lever.

Mounted upon each end of the shaft which in practice extends about fivefeet upon each side of the post are line supporting springs 18 havingtheir inner terminals hooked over one edge of the semi-circular shaft 12and wound around said shaft in engagement therewith to the oppositeedge. The next coil of the spring is then separated from the shaft andits free end extended off at a tan gent with the terminal thereof formedinto a line engaging hook 19. Each of the springs is held in positionagainst longitudinal movement on the shaft by means of the keys 20 whichas shown in Fig. 7 are constructed each of a single piece of Wire bentback upon itself to form the separated legs which straddle the coils ofthe spring and pass through openings 21 formed adjacent opposite edgesof the shaft 12. These keys are held in'adjusted position radially ofthe shaft by means of cotter pins 22 which pass through openings formedin-one leg of the key as shown in Fig. 7, and may be removed so as toplace them upon either side of the lower wall of the shaft. The yokeportion of each key is bent inwardly to produce a bifurcation in whichthe free end of its associated spring is seated. By adjusting either keyin the shaft the distance of the hook 19 from the shaft may be properlyregulated.

hen the lever 13 is raised to the upper end of the slot 14: the hooks 19will be in lowermost position and also in their farthest forwardposition. hen the lever is depressed and the dog engaged in one pair ofthe notches 16 the hooks 19 will be elevated and the lines placed undertension. In this manner it will be seen that clothes may be hung uponthe lines when they are lowered and the lever then operated to elevatethe lines and place them under tension so that the clothes will beproperly supported above and prevented from dragging on the ground.

What is claimed is 1. A support for clothes lines comprising a post, ashaft journaled in the post, means for rotating the shaft, means forholding the shaft in adjusted position, and resilient means forconnecting a line to the post which when the shaft is rotated willelevate the line and place the same under tension.

2. A support for clothes lines comprising a post, a shaft journaled inthe post, means for rotating the shaft, means for holding the shaft inadjusted position, resilient means for connecting a line to the postwhich when the shaft is rotated will elevate the line and place the sameunder tension, and means for regulating the height and tension .on thelines.

3. A clothes line supporting device comprising a post, a shaft journaled in the post, means for rotating the shaft, means for holdingthe same in adjusted position, means mounted upon the ends of the shaftfor connecting a pair of lines to the shaft, means for retaining saidconnecting means in position on the shaft, and means for adjusting theretaining means, said connecting means adapted to raise the lines andplace tension thereon when the shaft is rotated and said retaining meansadapted to independently control the height and tension of each line.

4. A clothes line supporting device comprising a post, resilient meansfor connecting a line to the post, means for placing tension on the lineand an adjustable brace carried by the post and adapted to hold the postin upright position against the tension 7 of the line.

'5. A clothes line supporting device comprising a post, ashaft journaledin the post, spiral springs connected to opposite ends of the shaft andhaving tangential ends provided with line engaging hooks, retaining keyspassing through the shaft and straddling certain coils of the spring,said retaining members having bifurcated ends for supporting thetangential ends of the spring, and means for rotating the shaft andholding the same in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES C. CHERRY.

Vitnesses Z. S. RIsNER,

G. L. Jonas.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. I

